Reggae Star Peter Tosh Murdered

September 13, 1987|United Press International

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- Peter Tosh, an internationally known reggae musician who soared to fame with the late Bob Marley and performed with rock star Mick Jagger, was killed by gunmen during a robbery at his home, police said Saturday.

Outside Jamaica, Tosh, 42, was perhaps best known for his collaboration with Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger. Tosh was nominated for a Grammy in 1985 for best reggae recording for Captured Live.

Another man, identified only as ``Doc,`` also was killed and five people were wounded in the attack, which occurred Friday night, police Inspector Dennis Martin said.

Three gunmen on motorcycles went to Tosh`s residence in the middle-class Barbican area of Kingston and demanded money, he said. When their demand was denied they forced the seven to the floor, shot them, and ransacked the house.

Tosh died from a gunshot wound to the head, Martin said.

Authorities said the injured were Marlene Brown, Tosh`s common-law wife, Carlton Davis, a drummer in Tosh`s band, disk jockey Jeff Dixon, Michael Robinson, and a woman identified only as ``Joy.``

Dixon was in critical condition at Kingston`s University Hospital from two gunshot wounds to the back of the head. The others were listed in stable condition.

Martin said a ``top-level investigation`` was under way.

Prime Minister Edward Seaga issued a statement lamenting the slayings and extending his condolences to Tosh`s family. In tribute to the performer Kingston radio stations played his music Saturday.

Tosh was born Winston McIntosh and since the early 1960s had played reggae -- a native music characterized by a strong syncopated rhythm and influenced by rock `n` roll and calypso.

He was one of the original members of the reggae group The Wailers, with Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston Wailer.

The Jamaican press dubbed him the controversial Wailer after he wrote the song Legalize It, which called for the legalization of marijuana, widely used in the Caribbean island nation.

In 1978, before a Kingston crowd of 30,000 that included then-Prime Minister Manley, Tosh smoked a big marijuana cigarette on stage and berated Manley for 30 minutes for not legalizing ``ganja.``

Tosh had several run-ins with police and was jailed for possession of marijuana in the mid-60s.

Tosh left the Wailers in 1979 as Marley, who died in 1981, began to receive most of the international attention accorded the group.

He reached the peak of his international fame in the late 1970`s, when he recorded the song Don`t Look Back with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.